Noahide Leaks! The Ger Came Clean!

At last: the Ger Toshav is was and will always be in clear terms!

I present today the Wikipedia Page of the Ger Toshav, which draws directly from Rabbi Moshe Weiner's Shulchan Aruch for Noahides. Much has been said about the work, for better and for worse; it saddens me to say that there has been too much motzei shem rah about what the book either says or didn't say, based on each specific false claim.

It is an honor to say that the sefer accurately portrays the issue of the Ger Toshav and his status today, if one so chooses to live his life as a Ger Toshav, albeit one in galus along side Am Yisrael.

The problem it seems, is that generic and base learning has developed from an inability to give over the detailed accounts pertaining to the Noahides in a consistent and authentic form, directly influenced by the original Hebrew and concept retained [amongst the plethora of distinctions that come under the scope of the advanced nature of Noahide Torah; woe to the soul who takes these points loosely and/or out of pristine context].

Click Here For The Wikipedia Page of Ger Toshav!

"Also see footnote 10 at length there, explaining the sources for the ruling. Original Hebrew: ולכן בזמן הזה, אע"פ שאין מקבלין ג"ת לענין זכויותיו [כגון לגור בארץ ישראל], מ"מ אם בא לקבל על עצמו מרצונו להיות גר "תושב וחסיד אומ"ה בפני ג' לענין קבלת מצוותיו מקבלין אותו

"and therefore in our days, even though we are not to receive the Ger Toshav, vis a vis his zchut,for example to settle in the Land, ...in any case, if he comes to accept upon himself from his own volition to be a Ger Toshav and as a righteous of the nations from a personal bond, in front of 3, as to accept his commandments, - we accept him [Rabbi Weiner]"
.....the rambam states elsewhere btw that a ger tzedek has no limitations as per his ger tzedek side, even today, although as per his zchus of a ger toshav, this halacha would work with him in those specific areas, but not to the detriment of his tzedek status, for only his toshav status is limited. [Rabbi Katz]


Ger toshav From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia This article is about resident aliens in Judaism. For discussion of the "stranger" in the Bible, see Proselyte. Ger toshav (Hebrew: גר תושב ger "foreigner" + toshav "resident"), is a term used in Judaism to refer to a gentile who is a "resident alien", that is, one who lives in a Jewish state and has certain protections under Jewish law, and is considered[1] a righteous gentile (Hebrew: חסיד אומות העולם hassid umot ha-olam "pious among the nations").

Contents [hide] 1 Definition 2 Modern times and views 3 See also 4 References 5 External links [edit]Definition

A ger toshav is a Gentile who accepts the authority of the Torah and the Rabbis upon himself, but specifically as applied to Gentiles. The term ger toshav may be used in a formal or informal sense.

In the formal sense, a ger toshav is a Gentile who officially accepts the seven Noahide Laws as binding upon himself in the presence of a beth din (Jewish rabbinical court). In the Talmudic discussion regarding the ger toshav, there are two other, differing minority opinions (Avodah Zarah 64b) as to what the ger toshav accepts upon himself:[1]

To abstain from idolatrous practices (detailed in Deut 29:09-30:20). To uphold all the 613 commandments in rabbinical enumeration, except for the prohibition against eating kosher animals that died by means other than ritual slaughter, or possibly[1] (Meiri) any prohibition not involving kareth.

The accepted legal definition is the majority opinion that the ger toshav must accept the seven Noahide Laws before a rabbinical court of three.[1] Such a ger toshav receives certain legal protections and privileges from the community, the rules regarding Jewish-Gentile relations are modified, and there is a Biblical obligation to render him aid when in need. The restrictions on having a Gentile do work for a Jew on the Sabbath are also stricter when the Gentile is a ger toshav.[2]

In the informal sense, a ger toshav is one who accepts the Noahide Law on his own, or alternatively, simply rejects idolatry.[1] (The latter issue is in particular brought up regarding Muslims.)[1] More formally, a Gentile who accepts the Seven Mitzvot, though not before a beth din, is known as chasid umot ha'olam, which means "Pious Among the Nations."[3] There is discussion among the halakhic authorities as to which of the rules regarding a ger toshav would apply to the informal case.[2]

The procedure has been discontinued since the cessation of the Year of Jubilee, and hence, there are no formal geirim toshvim (plural) extant today. However, it can be argued that a great deal are "informal" ones,[1] especially since it is possible to be a chasid umot ha'olam even when the Jubilee Year is not observed.[4]

[edit]Modern times and views

Judaism encourages non-Jews to adhere to the Noahide Laws.[5]

Some groups, notably Chabad Lubavitch, have set up classes and networks for Gentiles who commit themselves to this legal system (see Noahide Campaign). The Lubavitcher Rebbe himself encouraged his followers on many occasions to teach the Seven Laws of Noah, devoting some of his addresses to the subtleties of this code.[6][7][8]

Others, largely among stricter students of the Maimonides, sometimes inaccurately referred to as Dor Daim, have devoted a number of websites to issues of importance relating to the Noahide Laws.[citation needed]

In 2008, a new code of law, written by Rabbi Moshe Weiner specifically for Noahides, was published under the auspices of Ask Noah International. The book's stated intention is to serve as the first ever "Shulchan Aruch for all the laws of the Children of Noah," and is entitled Sefer Sheva Mitzvot Hashem.[9] To grant it authority, it bears letters of endorsement from Rabbi Zalman Nechemia Goldberg of the Supreme Rabbinical Court of Israel, both the Chief Rabbis of Israel, and letters of blessing and approbation from various other notable rabbis around the world. In the code itself, it states that[10] "at this time, while we do not accept geirim toshvim for the sake of (granting) the privileges of (the ger toshav) [for example, to live in the Land of Israel], nevertheless, if he comes before (a rabbinical court of) three of his own free will to accept upon himself to be a ger toshav and one of the Pious Among the Nations, for the sake of accepting his mitzvot, we accept him." Later, it notes that one of the "Pious Among the Nations" (chasid umot ha'olam) is not necessarily also a ger toshav, and it is possible to be a chasid umot ha'olam despite not being a ger toshav. In fact, it lists four possibilities for Gentiles:[3]

Complete conversion to Judaism of his own free will Upholding the Seven Mitzvot of the Children of Noah, i.e. chasid umot ha'olam Ger toshav Having himself circumcised A Gentile is obligated to accept the Seven Mitzvot, but is not required to appear before a rabbinical court to become a ger toshav; that is a personal choice.[11]

According to Kellner (1991) on Maimonides, a ger toshav (or Noahide) could be a transitional stage on the way to becoming a ger tzedek (Hebrew: גר צדק) or "righteous alien", a convert to Judaism. He conjectures that only a full ger tzedek would be found at the time of the Messiah.[12]

However, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneersohn states that the status of ger toshav will continue to exist, even in the Messianic era. This is based on the statement in Hilchot Melachim 12:5 that "the entire world's (kol ha'olam) occupation will be nothing but to know G‑d." In its plain meaning, he asserts, kol ha'olam also includes Gentiles. As proof, he cites 11:4, also dealing with the Messianic era, where the similar term ha'olam kulo, "the world in its entirety," clearly refers to Gentiles. Continuing the text in Hilchot Melachim 12:5, Maimonides explicitly changes the topic to Jews by using the term Yisra'el, explaining that "Therefore, the Jews will be great sages and know the hidden matters, grasping the knowledge of their Creator according to the full extent of human potential," indicating that Jew and Gentile will co-exist in the time of the Messiah.[13]

In any case, even when there is a Jewish king and a Sanhedrin, and all the twelve tribes live in the Land of Israel, Jewish law does not permit forcing someone to convert and become a ger tzedek against his will.[14]

[edit]See also

`Am ha-aretz Conversion to Judaism Proselyte Seven Laws of Noah [edit]References

^ a b c d e f g Rabbi Shlomo Yosef Zevin, ed. (5739 (1979)). "Ger Toshav, Section 1" (in Hebrew). Encyclopedia Talmudit (Fourth Printing ed.). Jerusalem, Israel: Yad Harav Herzog (Emet). ^ a b Rabbi Shlomo Yosef Zevin, ed. (5739 (1979)) (in Hebrew). Encyclopedia Talmudit (Fourth Printing ed.). Jerusalem, Israel: Yad Harav Herzog (Emet). ^ a b Sefer Sheva Mitzvot Hashem, p. 27: עוד מבאר בלקוטי שיחות ע"פ הצפנת פענח שחסיד אומות העולם אינו דוקא גר תושב, ואפשר לב"נ להיות חסיד אומות העולם, אע"פ שאינו גר תושב. ולכן לא הזכיר הרמב"ם כאן ש'אין מקבלין גר תושב אלא בזמן שהיובל נוהג' כדרכו בכל מקום (הארה: ראה הל' ע"ז פ"י, הל' מילה פ"א, הל' שבת פ"כ, הל' איסורי ביאה פי"ד.) שהזכיר דין ג"ת, כי אין כוונת הרמב"ם שכופין ב"נ להיות ג"ת, אלא לבאר האפשרויות העמודות לב"נ על פי התורה. א) גרות גמורה מרצונו, ב) קיום שבע מצוות - ועל זה צוה ה' את משה לכופם, ג) גר תושב, ד) למול עצמו.
=
"It is further explained in Likkutei Sichot according to the Tzafnat Pa'enach that a chasid umot ha'olam [lit. Pious Among the Nations] is not necessarily a ger toshav, and it is possible for a Gentile [lit. Descendant of Noah] to be a chasid umot ha'olam despite him not being a ger toshav. And therefore the Rambam did not mention here that "We only accept a ger toshav while the Jubilee Year is observed" as usual in all the places (footnote: See Hilchot Avodah Zarah ch. 10, Hilchot Milah ch. 1, Hilchot Shabbat ch. 20, Hilchot Issurei Bi'ah ch. 14) that he mentions the law of the ger toshav, because the Rambam's intention was not that we force Gentiles [lit. Descendants of Noah] to be geirim toshvim, but rather to explain the options that stand for the Gentile [lit. Descendant of Noah] according to the Torah: 1) Complete conversion by his own free will, 2) upholding the seven mitzvot - and regarding this, G‑d commanded Moses to compel them, 3) ger toshav, 4) to circumcise himself."

^ Sefer Sheva Mitzvot Hashem, p. 28: ד) חיוב בן נח ואפשרותו להיות חסיד אומ"ה הוא בכל זמן, ואינו תלוי בזמן שמקבלין גר תושב. = "4) The obligation of the Gentile [lit. Descendant of Noah] and his ability to be a chasid umot ha'olam are at all times, and are not dependent on the time that we accept a ger toshav."

^ pp.27, 40 et al, Sefer Sheva Mitzvot Hashem ^ Likutei Sichot vol. 26, p. 133 ^ Likutei Sichot vol. 35, p. 97 ^ Likutei Sichot vol. 4, 1094 ^ Sefer Sheva Mitzvot Hashem, title page ^ Sefer Sheva Mitzvot Hashem, p. 18. Square brackets in the original; round brackets are the translator's interpolations.

Also see footnote 10 at length there, explaining the sources for the ruling. Original Hebrew: ולכן בזמן הזה, אע"פ שאין מקבלין ג"ת לענין זכויותיו [כגון לגור בארץ ישראל], מ"מ אם בא לקבל על עצמו מרצונו להיות גר תושב וחסיד אומ"ה בפני ג' לענין קבלת מצוותיו מקבלין אותו. ^ Sefer Sheva Mitzvot Hashem, p. 28: א. בן נח חייב לקבל על עצמו ולקיים שבע מצוות מפני שה' צוה לבני נח והודיע ע"י משה רבינו בתורה, והנזהר לקיימן משום כך הרי זה 'חסיד אומות העולם'.... ו. גר תושב וחסיד אומות העולם שתי תוערים הם. ואין ב"נ צריך לקבל על עצמו להיות גר תושב, וכן אינו צריך לקבל על עצמו עול ז' מצוות בפני בית דין ישראל. = "1. A Gentile [lit. Descendant of Noah] is required to accept upon himself and uphold the seven mitzvot because G‑d [so] commanded the children of Noah through our Teacher Moses in the Torah. One who is careful to uphold them because of this is a chasid umot ha'olam [lit. Pious Among the Nations].... "6. Ger toshav and chasid umot ha'olam are two different terms. A Gentile is not required to accept upon himself to be a ger toshav, and so too is not required to accept the yoke of the seven mitzvot before a Jewish beit din."

 ^ Maimonides on Judaism and the Jewish people -Menachem Marc Kellner - 1991 (S U N Y Series in Jewish Philosophy) (9780791406915): Page 44 "against my reading of Maimonides is strengthened by the fact that Maimonides himself says that the ger toshav is accepted only during the time that the Jubilee is practiced.43 The Jubilee year is no longer practiced in this dispensation ...... Second, it is entirely reasonable to assume that Maimonides thought that the messianic conversion of the Gentiles would be a process that occurred in stages and that some or all Gentiles would go through the status of ger toshav on ...But this question aside, there are substantial reasons why it is very unlikely that Maimonides foresaw a messianic era in which the Gentiles would become only semiconverts (ger toshav) and not full converts (ger tzedek). ...But the main thrust of all the Maimonidean texts we have been analyzing here is that in the days of the Messiah all human beings will stand before God equally and jointly. What is a semiconvert? Maimonides explains that the ger toshav " ^ Schneersohn, Menachem Mendel. Sha'arei Ge'ulah. pp. 267-8 (translated from Hebrew; emphasis and round brackets, but not the square brackets, in original text): There is a further detail in the wording of the Rambam in the completion and conclusion of his book [Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Melachim 12:5]: "And the occupation of the entire world will not be anything other than to know G‑d." Because in its plain meaning, it thereby includes the nations of the world as well (similar to what the Rambam wrote in the previous chapter, that the Messianic king will "improve the world in its entirety to serve G‑d... I will transform the nations etc."), especially since immediately afterwards the Rambam changes [terminology] and writes "And therefore Israel will be great sages etc." From this it is clear that the phrase entire world written above is intended to thereby include the children of Noah as well.

^ Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Melachim 8:10 The Seven Laws of Noah, Lichtenstein, Aaron, New York: The Rabbi Jacob Joseph School Press, 1981. The Image of the Non-Jew in Judaism, Novak, David, ISBN 0-88946-975-X, New York and Toronto: Edwin Mellen Press, 1983. Tolerance in Judaism: The Medieval and Modern Sources, Zuesse, Evan M., In: The Encyclopaedia of Judaism, edited by J. Neusner, A. Avery-Peck, and W.S. Green, Second Edition, ISBN 90-04-14787-X, Leiden: Brill, 2005, Vol. IV: 2688-2713 Encyclopedia Talmudit, Hebrew edition, 5739/1979, entry Ger Toshav Sheva Mitzvot Hashem, Weiner, Moshe, Jerusalem: Ask Noah International, 2008. (Hebrew)

May those who wish to declare their right to be a Ger Toshav - Live Long and Prosper, and may they enjoy a life filled with their heart's desire to grow in the ways of Hashem, while enjoying the Brotherhood that comes with the responsibility of what is then a true reality of being a Light onto the Nations, with Simcha.
Bimhera V'Yamenu,
 AMEN

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Tree of Life - A Reality Even Today!

The Tree Of Life Alive and Well In The Negev!


Old Blog Post from 9/25/11 - One of Soul Mazal's First's!

Read On Afterwards For New Developments With Argan Trees In Israel Today!

Here is my idea: Lets say the Tree of Life was an Olive Tree, which there are opinions saying it was, for the sake of meriting its oil to make Shabbos Light.
Adam using his Wisdom, and supreme knowledge of Nature (he named everything in the Garden), has one problem: how to get olive oil, now.

If the Olive Tree functions like an Argan Tree, then getting the oil would be simple! Employ the goats to process the fruit and make the oil through their digestion in addition with the required manpower which is ready from the efforts of the goats, as it is done in Argan Trees in Morocco. Adam makes a Hekesh, and says perhaps the Argan tree, which makes oil, functions like an Olive Tree that makes oil. Just as goats are used in Argan Oil, so too with Olive Oil. If the Argan Tree functions as the Olive Tree, I would not be eating from the tree at all, I would merit Shabbos and use the fruit as Light!

Enter Adam's command: Do Not touch the tree  (as the work is delicate, goats and all), enter Chavah, Nachash and the story goes from there...Derech Drush...
My Pshat (understanding) is: The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil in this scenario, is Adam superimposing the Argan Tree onto the Olive Tree, assuming the comparison is valid; whereas cooperation with Chava would merit a Kosher Garden experience, and the Olive Oil would be allowed to be used in The Great Shabbos that they would have merited, turning any remnant of Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil into an edible/usable Tree of Life, as explained by the Arizal...with the onset of Shabbos, and a perfected world.

Chava represents waiting, for the Olive Oil to produce naturally, thereby not touching or eating from the tree until Shabbos...Adam ventured to produce it in an unnatural way, taking too many steps, and leading Chava to a sin, that came back to Adam himself.

Adam was to wait patiently;We are to fix this by patiently waiting for Moshiach. We can make it complex like Adam did, or we can wait until the time is RIPE, allowing Knowledge of Good and Bad to return to its source of Tov Meod (Very Good) and being a source of Life, within the Delight of Shabbos..as Hashem said, "And Behold, It Was Very Good!"

Click here to learn more about goats and Argan Trees


The argan tree is one of the oldest trees on earth, with scientists stating that genetic evidence points to an age of at least 80 million years (now whether you think the world is that old is another question, but let's just stay with the fact: its old). In Morroco it is called "the tree of life".

Now, let's take a look at something else, a tree called "Etz Shemen" found in the tanach in four places: "I will make the wilderness a pool of water and the dry land springs of water. I will plant in the wilderness the shitta tree, and the myrtle and the Etz Shemen; I will set in the arava cypress, maple and box-tree together: that they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the LORD has done this, and the holy one of Israel has created it." Isaiah 41:18-20 "And on the second day, the chiefs of the fathers houses of all the people, the priests and the Levites, were gathered to Ezra the scribe, in order to study the words of the Tora. And they found written in the Tora which the Lord had commanded by the hand of Moshe, that the children of Yisrael should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month: and that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Yerushalayim, saying, Go out to the mountain, and fetch olive branches and branches of Etz Shemen and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written." Nehemiah 8:13-15 "And within the sanctuary he made two keruvim of Etz Shemen..." I KIngs 6:23 "And for the entering of the inner sanctuary he made doors of Etz Shemen" I Kings 6:31

So what is Etz Shemen? We know a few things about it: 1. In the end of days Hashem will plant it in the desert and it will be considered a sign of His handiwork 2. Its branches were one of two varieties that the Israelites should use on the roof of their succahs, together with the olive tree as another variety. (More about this later) 3. It was used for the keruvim and doors to the inner sanctuary of the Temple.

Now, take a look at Sukah 37 from the Daf Yomi where the passage in Nehemiah is discussed. Here are the notes to that daf: http://www.shemayisrael.com/dafyomi2/sukah/backgrnd/su-in-37.htm There and in the Daf we see that the of the five species mentioned by Nehemiah, three were used for the lulav and two were for putting a roof on the succah. The two mentioned for roofing are olive and etz shemen.

Now, the notes there for the daf tells us that there were various opinions as to what etz shemen was: mentioned there are a pine tree and a balsam tree. Yet, in most translations for this passage to Nehemiah we find it translated as a "wild olive". Now, we know that it was not an olive because if so the passage about the sukkah roofing would have just said: go out and get roofing from the olive tree.

The various commentaries state that it may have been a pine tree or a balsam tree. But pine and balsam are not known to produce large amounts of oil!

And lastly, we know that this mysterious tree will have wood suitable for making the keruvim and inner sanctuary doors. Pine? Not likely. Balsam? Hmmm. I believe that argan is the Etz Shemen.

It's time to get planting. We need as much help as we can to get this going. Please, sponsor a tree, or even a part of a tree. Ma'aser funds may be used as this is a huge mitzvah.

Click Image For Video

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B' Machlokes Achronim - Halacha K' Kofrim?

In layman's terms: We find ourselves standing before a debate in the truest Jewish sense, something that has been lacking since, what, the days of the Rebbe and Rav Shach? Will the Torah shine or God Forbid the opposite through this odreal? -

 - "B' Machlokes Achronim - Halacha K' Kofrim?"

I mean seriously, nobody goes up against Haredim, and I think its about time, even if to only shake things up  - and to see where everyone really stands [today].

I will keep saying this: There is no room in politics for frumkeit, and let Naftali do his dance with the guy who plays Lapid on T.V. and see where this goes. For all we know, Zionism [the living entity] may have been newly aroused, and in preparation to do away with its [practical] inventors Bibi and Peres, who are on record for having been Hertzl's Heder rebbes.

 [It seems they have been around that long, no?!]

So here we go, without Shas and Haredim, lets see what new Age Israeli Judaism [at least wants to] look like. As I see it, the IDF will be better off, politics will be better off, and hopefully the buchurim will realize what a beracha it is to sit and shteig and produce genuine Torah for the ages that will prolong Am Yisrael. All of these have seen decay in this last decade, so maybe then this is the refua that Hashem has sent us from the palm of his hand.

JPost.com:

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu began working on a coalition without haredi parties on Sunday, breaking the news to Shas and then negotiating with Bayit Yehudi.

One day after Netanyahu accused Yesh Atid and Bayit Yehudi of boycotting an entire population group, which he said was unacceptable, he admitted to Shas the unlikelihood of forming a coalition with the haredi parties.

The Shas leadership triumvirate – former interior minister Arye Deri, Interior Minister Eli Yishai and Construction and Housing Minister Ariel Attias – told the prime minister on Sunday afternoon that their entry into the government was still in his hands. They urged him to reach out to Labor chairwoman Shelly Yacimovich to bring her party into the coalition, thereby enabling Shas to join as well.

The impression the Shas leaders have received, a party source said, is that the pact between Bayit Yehudi chairman Naftali Bennett and Yesh Atid head Yair Lapid is too strong to break and that the only way into government for them would be if Labor (15 Knesset seats) joined, in which case Netanyahu would not need Yesh Atid and Bayit Yehudi’s collective 31 Knesset seats.

Yacimovich, however, has not wavered from her campaign promise to remain in the opposition, even when Likud Beytenu offered her party the Finance; Industry, Trade and Labor; and Social Services ministries. According to the Labor leader, her views are too different from those of Netanyahu.

“It seems that the bond between Lapid and Bennett and their hatred for the haredim is unbreakable at this stage,” the Shas party official said.

Shas also rejected a suggestion the prime minister made earlier in negotiations, that the party join the government at a later stage, after the government was already formed. The party pointed out that it would not want to join a coalition after Yesh Atid and Bayit Yehudi passed a haredi enlistment law, housing reform or budget cuts, which Shas and United Torah Judaism believe would hurt haredi interests.

The same source threatened that the haredi public and political leadership “would long remember the behavior of the national-religious party [Bayit Yehudi] after these elections.

“When the haredim are once again in government and the national-religious are not, they will see our response to what they have done,” the official warned.

He added that they would not cynically support antisettlement activity, such as evacuations or construction freezes, as revenge, referring to the generally right-wing attitude of the haredi public on such matters.

Soon after his meeting with Shas, Netanyahu sat with Bennett, in a meeting the Bayit Yehudi spokesman described as “good and practical.”

Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Liberman participated in part of the meeting, which focused on a timeline for passing a haredi enlistment bill and budgetary issues.

Bayit Yehudi chief negotiator MK Uri Ariel said the party suggested that “coalition funds,” state spending that is given to sectors represented by parties in the coalition, be canceled and that the 2013-14 budget be declared a national emergency budget. The “coalition funds” in the previous government reached close to NIS 1 billion annually.

“We constantly said that Bayit Yehudi is no longer a sectorial party, but is concerned with all of the people of Israel, which is why I think we must recommend as part of coalition demands that the funds be canceled,” Ariel said. “We promised to behave responsibly, and we will keep that promise.”

What may have foiled Netanyahu’s hopes to break the Yesh Atid-Bayit Yehudi alliance and bring the latter into a government with Shas and UTJ was a letter from the rabbis behind Tekuma, a farright faction that makes up one-third of Bayit Yehudi, saying they support the alliance.

Netanyahu’s close associate Natan Eshel was said to have attempted to convince the Tekuma rabbis that they should align themselves with the haredim, and not a secularist party.

“Despite all of the hysteria in the media, we strengthen the path you are on to preserving the world of Torah and settlement in the Land of Israel, in cooperation with Yair Lapid and the Yesh Atid party,” rabbis Dov Lior, Haim Steiner, Isser Klonsky and David Chai Hacohen wrote in a letter to Bennett and Ariel.

Earlier on Sunday, Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz expressed discomfort at the idea of leaving haredi parties out of the coalition.

“The prime minister has doubts about rejecting an entire public,” Steinitz said.

“This is an undesirable reality.

Israel needs the widest, most stable government possible. I don’t like the style of boycotting or indirectly boycotting.”

Energy and Water Minister Uzi Landau expressed optimism at the prospect of a coalition that can focus on civil and domestic issues, but disapproved of Yesh Atid and the Bayit Yehudi’s methods.

“We have a chance to bring great changes in allowing everyone to participate in the workforce, enlistment in the army, affordable housing, electoral reform,” he listed. “I call on anyone who believes in these principles – like Bennett and Lapid – not to let us miss this chance again. We need to make sure all of these principles come true, but not through boycotts.” •

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Audio Ki Sisa - Coming To You Live!

Click Here For Ki Sisa Audio In-Depth Lecture!



Parashas Ki Sisa 

Shabbat: The Torah That Guards Us Both 

Rabbi David Katz 

Parashas Ki Sisa documents a very powerful description of Shabbat amidst Chapter 31 of Ki Sisa, in a beautiful segment sandwiched between Betzalel – and his Divinely Inspired Craftsmanship of the Tabernacle, onwards towards our Jewish-Noahide combination of Eleven Spices, and ultimately settling into the Shabbat details as the Torah drifts into the sunset [almost literally], before stumbling over the Erev Rav, and their small knowledge, claiming that somehow, all until now, has not been of the sublime. Before Tragedy and schism strikes the World, Hashem managed to get a finger in edgewise, revealing the secrets within “His Sabbaths” and days of rest, that would ultimately become heritage to the Jewish People, and the inheritors of the primordial Shabbat Days [going back to Joseph, who was known to have kept Shabbat as opposed to remembered Shabbat, consistent within the command of our Parsha], would become the sanctuary of the Ger[im], the modern day Noahide.

Shabbat is the observance of Creation by Hashem, and is seen in Chazal [in matters of Law] that the Sabbath Day [and Honor of] is akin to having kept the entire Torah, to those that properly rest and worship on the Seventh Day according to His Torah. One can clearly see into every realm of reality, every Torah Truth, the more he considers the Divine Truth to Shabbat. It is the very essence of the Seventh Day, and all components upon which all is revealed, and is accessible within context of a proper and appropriate rest day. As it entails all of Creation by the Finger of God [hence the Tablets also under the Finger of God, such that the Shabbat there represents a macro – micro relationship to the Torah and relationship with God], one will find animated life of color invested in reality, as long as within the company of the key components of the Torah’s saga, namely the Ger and the Jew, and their respective entourage that takes refuge in the remaining six days of the week. 

The Torah says “My Sabbaths” you shall guard, a throwback to the days of Joseph, and his preference of keeping Guard of Shabbat, as opposed to a misled belief that perhaps simply remembering may be more a representation of the essence of the Day, an intent and focus upon not one people, but two – the Jew and the Ger, who ultimately share common ground. While the Jew is the subject of direct command of God pertaining to the Guarding and Remembering of the Shabbat [which effectively evokes a full seven day service lifestyle and culture upon Israel], the Torah introduces a revelation that underneath the shroud of reality is the Universe of a true Ger Toshav, hence a status [even if not completely] of Eretz Yisrael, and thus a demand of nothing less than a day of rest outside of the Holy Land; all the more so when enjoying full liberty as a Ger serving Hashem from up close amongst Israel.

Under the microscope of Joseph and his observance of Shabbat within the borders of Egypt amongst the Tribes of Israel [which was before Sinai], the Midrash points out that the distinction being made by Joseph was one of an eternal Teaching and influence that would apply to every Ger in the future - that of the nature to this day of rest. Joseph explicitly guarded Shabbat, as the verse points out that Joseph prepared for Shabbat, which Chazal identify as a proper intent and guard; however Joseph very carefully desecrated the Shabbat so as to not disrupt what would be a revelation of revelations towards the ultimate and authentic Sinai, a historic event that would solely own rights of certain Torah expression. 

Joseph with his Divine Inspiration sent off the brothers while the sun shone upon the Sabbath morning, a clear Torah violation of Shabbat, yet would serve not only as a point of merit to Joseph, but would be a benchmark for the eternal Ger. The Midrash explains that the Wisdom taken from this guarding, is a concern of the Ger becoming too cautious of the commands applicable to Shabbat. The Torah is about to outline an incredible use of language that accentuates the subtle nature within the spiritual DNA of the Ger, and even onto what makes up a Jew from the inside.

Despite all of the hidden symbolism within Chapter 31 that clearly hints at a Shabbat for Two in the words of the Sages and Kabbalah, the Torah reveals the innards of spirituality, ironically within a context that leaves many scratching their heads, questioning the Torah’s motives and authenticity, and ultimately leaves the uneducated with an innate desire to innovate words from his own thinking that are foreign to the Torah – all to rationalize that which contradict the Torah’s strikingly harsh tone. Most are aware of the warning labels that come with Shabbat: Keep it the wrong way – and die, yet where people stumble in near total conformity is in their inability to ascertain that which is in command form, and that which is simply understood as, “Good Counsel.” [Eitzah Tovah, the Wisdom that emanates from Binah; Daughters of Tzlafchad in assoc. of their love of Israel as heirs to Joseph]

The Torah threatens death to he who fails to comply with the Will of God as to how the Sabbath should be kept, and in this way it conjures up the same undertones that once pounded the Garden of Eden, on what was the world’s most disastrous Shabbat – the essence of time that we still seek to rectify to this day and hour. Granted “death” generally is a one-way street in context and connotation when delivered as a command, yet when the Torah is perceived as Good Counsel from “God – He who acts as our Father in Heaven”, perhaps the intent is to embed a dose of reality into our existence, with a self-knowledge that functions to the opposite of death, i.e. Life; a viable Tree of Life in contrast to this proverbial Tree of Knowledge conundrum.

The evil inclination is the ailment and the Torah is the remedy; God threatens death vs. “good ‘ole advice.” When one hears, “if you keep Shabbat as such and such – you will die” – the feeling of something not being right finds its way into our logic center, our Torah point of view that turns to doubt, a power of Amalek. The Torah’s dynamic message however, was sounded over deaf ears, for God’s word was to educate the student as to what actually does kill you! 

The Jew and the Ger both life a life of unique intensity, one that needs catered to, cared for, and an expansive and flexible knowledge base as how to cope with our solitary reality called life. To make the point in the simplest terms [and to recall Joseph’s precaution against over caution]: Life is dangerous, intense, and requires responsibility; for this Torah speaks counsel in the words of command, so as to care for our delicate souls that already desire a return to their Creator, one that we need not hasten due to an inability to immediately understand the thoughts of God. The Jew and the Ger can’t “intermarry” if you will, the same way as a sister and a brother must not perform this evil deed. One can review the Torah of Abraham who claimed Sarah was his sister in marriage, who in truth was not; the Torah’s wisdom teaches that the reason they could not technically be in such relation was due to the inability to contain such an intensity that would be born of this inter-union that goes against the Torah.

 If we view the Ger as the Brother and the Jew as his Sister, one will soon realize, the intensity, although matched [as they are certainly related] are only survived if unique and painfully separated. As this may sound as a song of sorrow, there is no joy greater than the unity found from a repair of schism that was best served from schism.

A Jewish lifestyle is simply intense, and thus his Shabbat is EXACTLY what he needs to survive this onslaught of life’s intensity. Such a dynamic, when mastered in truth, and realized as an impossibility, even death, if perpetrated as a worship as per a Ger, will result in the Jew finding a union with his Creator and a path alongside his mate in the Torah Universe, the Ger. The intensity becomes a healthy channel that burns as a fire for God and a passion to illuminate the World.

The Ger is therefore equally as intense, the perfect complement to his Jewish counterpart, and thus he needs a proper channel in that he should find his service pleasing before Hashem. The Ger is told, “If you keep Shabbat as a Jew – you die.” This is often seen as a contradiction based on the obvious, and in conjunction to the fact that of course the Ger has Shabbat, as listed in seemingly endless sources within Torah. 

Thus the message is delivered from the mouth of Joseph, “do not become overly cautious of the commands of the Shabbat.” The Ger survives and succeeds in Hashem’s Creation with a certain status quo of intensity and fire, ironically, to a height that many dismiss from oversight of the obvious; see from the unnecessary conversions to Judaism [although not entirely] as proof to the dilemma imposed upon the Ger and his World.

The Ger’s soul and heart burn to please God and live in His Torah [reality], and not surprisingly, they produce an intense love directed towards God. The study of Torah [which is the primary tool of observance on the Shabbat of the Ger] would then prove to be the truly Holy of Holies in the perspective of a Ger’s internal core. A love affair that operates on high impact energy must come with instruction and care to protect the Ger, hence, the Torah and her counsel creates the heart to heart with the Ger. As this seems to be the solution, the only drawback is the intensity itself contained within both Hashem and the Ger; one cries out to aide, while the other moans in despair from displaced intensity.

The Ger Shabbat is his return to a one –on – one with Hashem and His Torah, and the loathed warning simply comes to the ear of the Ger, as to say, “don’t keep the Shabbat as a Jew, for you will be found to die.” The Torah comes to liberate the Ger, and allows him to always focus on the big picture with the finest pixels of a most pertinent reality, i.e. the rest day. The Ger is in love with God and Torah much like an inflammation of heart and soul; thus the diet becomes crucial if one is to walk a long existence with his Creator. Had the Ger focus on the Shabbat itself, the love would grow, but not to the exclusion of her intensity, and ultimately one would find territory of either burnout, exhaustion, or even death – exactly as the Torah counsel [as opposed to command tone] had decreed.

The Torah was given to the Jewish People, who through their own “Ger” experience stood converted at Sinai, as a will of God as put in effect from Abraham and Shem. The revelation and Book of Israel contained on that day 620 commandments, with 613 to Israel and 7 to the Ger. An infrastructure would be delivered to each camp, and thus a destiny of intensity was born on that mountain. The Shabbat would be the only mechanism that could express Creation, Sinai, the two Nations, and unity amongst them all as an honor to God. The mission was of sublime importance, and thus the integrity of this Brother – Sister affair proved to be integral. While each received a vessel that was unique in its service, an interaction, friendship, and Shabbat relationship would be the superior means to achieve the Torah’s vision of “Tikkun.”

In a World where we often lose sight of basic principles of Truth contained in a child-like wisdom, the perception of God returns to prehistoric dearth, rather than the ancient beauty it has earned the right to express and claim to be. The Torah is the universal message to Mankind, Jew and Ger alike, as they strive to perfect the World, and spread God’s intensity as a Knowledge of God. By the grace of God, both have each other, neither are alone, and God is honored [says the prophet concerning Shabbat], for Shabbat, the eternal witness to the fire of two peoples that exist within Seven reoccurring Days, will forever be the sanctuary to Knowledge of God, and a restful spirit and breath [to God, the Jew , and the Ger], as the Torah says, “He relaxed, and He rested”; the curious of the Torah shall note that the end letters of this stamp of God spells, “two.” Indeed, and a word to the wise should suffice in this matter. 

Shabbat Shalom. 

Click Here For Virtual Classroom!

Classes This Week:

Motzie Shabbos [Sat. Night] 10 PM - Parsha Shavua In - Depth

Wed. Night 11 PM - "Torah of the Ger" ["Modern Noahide"] In Text [on-going series]

*All Times According to Israel Time

**Please note, virtual software runs on Google Chrome

   Arriving Early Is Recommended

Shavua Tov From Yeshivat Shem V' Ever!

Read more »

Haredi Rambo Talmudic Warrior Sir!

King Bibi has 2 weeks until the Bennet - Lapid tagteam will be given free reign to wrestle away the downtrodden king's crown. This brotherhood of conspiracy [Yaakov anyone?] seems focused to bring Israeli Spring into high gear, one that will offset the finale of Arab Spring, that is on a collision course with Israel. Something tells me Shas and Bibi are out, something that Israel wants.

Shas should maybe learn that numbers don't outshine the glory of learning Leshma, and maybe the IDF will be good for a buchor of 21 years. Never in Jewish history [or anywhere else in the world today] is/was it the custom to [semi] shteig all the way to retirement. The best pounded the gemara, and became rebbes, teachers, mechabrim, etc. while the baal habas was something of an institution of itself. Since when is it illegal to be a baal habas? If Haredishkite is to survive, then a dose of reality will be a requirement [maybe 5 doses?] - the entire system has been built on exploitation, along with every other chachmah post- WWII - hence this is the overall social reform the neo politician bond seeks to employ coupled with the eradication of General King Bibi.

As much as the neocons represent a [logically] good change of pace, the real reality check for everybody is simple: we are in galus, with galus problems, and only Moshiach answers  will solve them and bring things to a happy medium.

In the midterm, this will be sure to wake people up if Bibi is forced to go back into business and Rabbi Yosef is forced to resign to strictly learning Torah, while avoiding the plague of politics, that ultimately hurts the buchrim worse than anything and delays the geulah.

Pirkei Avot - "Don't become overly familiar with the Government"

B''H the Beis Midrash wil be restored [last mishna Sotah vis a vis End of Days] and will return to be a makom chidush and an institution of learning Leshma, quality Torah. As ironic as it sounds, I think Israeli politics derech agav will revert the plague that exists in yeshivot today called bitul Torah.

JPost.com:

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu placed the blame for his failure to form a government on Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid and Bayit Yehudi chairman Naftali Bennett on Saturday night, after receiving a two-week extension for coalition negotiations from President Shimon Peres.

“The reason there is no coalition so far is because there are boycotts of an entire public in the State of Israel and that does not match my views,” Netanyahu stated, sitting across from Peres in the press room at the President’s Residence in the capital.

Lapid publicly and explicitly stated for the first time Saturday night that he would not sit in the same coalition as ultra-Orthodox parties Shas and United Torah Judaism, while Bayit Yehudi stuck to its commitment to enter a government only if Yesh Atid joins as well.

“When products made by settlers in Judea and Samaria are boycotted, we justly protest, and the people who need to understand this more than anyone is the settlers who are subjected to daily boycotts,” Netanyahu said.

“In my view, throughout our history, we underwent tragedies as a result of hatred and fighting between brothers, and when we look around us and see the tremendous challenges, we need to unite forces and not split up.”

The prime minister said he is doing all he can to unite the nation, working for four weeks to build the broadest coalition possible with an emphasis on economic issues and equality in the burden of national service, adding that these were issues on which the haredi public is willing to compromise.

“I want to use the coming days to try to form a wide government, and I hope party leaders will show responsibility. Responsibility and leadership, in my eyes, is to unite the nation and not divide it, and for that I need additional time,” Netanyahu concluded.

Peres granted the prime minister two more weeks to form a coalition, setting a March 16 deadline and saying that the country needs a stable, organized government as soon as possible to deal with security, diplomatic and social issues.

Earlier on Saturday, Lapid posted a lengthy status on his Facebook profile explaining that while he does not reject haredi people, he does not want to be in the same coalition as haredi parties.

“I do not believe that Shas and UTJ can sit in a government that will make the changes for which we went to elections: Changing the criteria for [subsidized] housing, core curriculum studies for all, equality in the burden of enlistment and the necessary cuts in yeshiva budgets....

This is the new civil agenda, which most citizens of this country support, but the haredi parties firmly oppose. That’s their right, but politicians have to be prepared to pay the price for their positions,” he wrote.

Lapid also criticized the haredi parties’ political tactics, writing that they do not accept the rules of the democratic game.

“No one likes to lose, but everyone accepts the basic idea that sometimes you’re in the coalition, and sometimes in the opposition,” he explained, adding that if Yesh Atid ends up in the opposition, they will go proudly, without feeling that someone hates or rejects them.

“Everyone, that is, except for the haredi parties,” he said.

Lapid pointed out that no matter what ideology won the last election – “Left, Right, socialist, capitalist, two-state solution or whole Land of Israel” – the ultra- Orthodox are always willing to be in the coalition.

“Did someone change the law and didn’t tell us? Can a government be formed with the Likud, without Labor, without Kadima, without Meretz, without Arab parties, without any party at all, but the haredim always have to be in the government, otherwise you’re boycotting and rejecting them? What kind of strange democracy is that?” the Yesh Atid leader wrote.

“The obvious conclusion is that no tragedy will happen if, in the next term, they sit in the opposition.”

Bennett published a similarly long manifesto on Facebook, accusing Likud Beytenu of boycotting Bayit Yehudi before accusing the latter of doing the same to ultra- Orthodox parties.

“The message from the Likud was simple: At no price will religious Zionism be in the government. Forget about it,” he wrote.

“While the prime minister met twice with Lapid, with [Hatnua chairwoman] Tzipi Livni, with [Labor leader] Shelly [Yacimovich], with [Kadima leader Shaul] Mofaz, and even with [Meretz leader] Zehava Gal-On, only religious Zionism was boycotted.

Likud said they want a government with the Left and haredim, explaining that they can’t have peace talks with the Bayit Yehudi in the coalition,” he said.

Bennett explained that he and Lapid agreed that neither would enter the coalition without the other, and that at the time, Likud Beytenu was pursuing Yesh Atid and snubbing Bayit Yehudi. He wrote that he intends to keep his word, even though the opposite is now true, because Netanyahu wants a government with the haredim and without Lapid.

“We don’t boycott any parties.

Not Shas, not UTJ. No one else, either. The only one who boycotted anyone was the Likud boycotting the Bayit Yehudi, and that is in the past,” Bennett wrote.

Bayit Yehudi chief negotiator MK Uri Ariel referred to Netanyahu’s comments on settlement boycotts, saying that “before the prime minister shoots arrows of criticism at the national-religious community in connection to boycotts and our connection to Yesh Atid, I would be happy to get a clear answer about how he explains his strange connection with Miss Tzipi Livni, whose agenda on boycotts and [construction] freezes on the settler population is known to all.”

On Friday, Bayit Yehudi MKs were busy responding to reports that Likud Beytenu negotiators told Yesh Atid representatives they needed Lapid’s party in the coalition, without Bayit Yehudi, in order to evacuate small settlements.

Coming out of talks with Bayit Yehudi, chief Likud Beytenu negotiator David Shomron called the reports “lies and deceit.”

MK Ayelet Shaked (Bayit Yehudi), a close Bennett ally, chalked up the reports to attempts to break her party’s alliance with Yesh Atid.

“Likud Beytenu is playing a double game, in which they ask us to break the agreement with Lapid, and ask Lapid to break the agreement with us,” she explained. “The explanations as to why it’s important to split change depending on who is listening.”

Shaked expressed feelings that Likud Beytenu does not have “a truth or a clear ideology” in forming the coalition, calling the negotiations a game of poker.

“We will stand strong facing the attacks and pressures, and do all we can to help form a government that will deal with socioeconomic issues that are fundamental problems for the Israeli people,” she said.

Bennett and Netanyahu were planning to meet on Sunday, Likud Beytenu said.

The Torah of Eretz Yisrael [which God personally governs; Names are in the Land] is seen as a bad option?

Read more »

Shabbat: Intensity and Love With Hashem

Parashas Ki Sisa

Shabbat: The Torah That Guards Us Both

Rabbi David Katz

Parashas Ki Sisa documents a very powerful description of Shabbat amidst Chapter 31 of Ki Sisa, in a beautiful segment sandwiched between Betzalel – and his Divinely Inspired Craftsmanship of the Tabernacle, onwards towards our Jewish-Noahide combination of Eleven Spices, and ultimately settling into the Shabbat details as the Torah drifts into the sunset [almost literally], before stumbling over the Erev Rav, and their small knowledge, claiming that somehow, all until now, has not been of the sublime. Before Tragedy and schism strikes the World, Hashem managed to get a finger in edgewise, revealing the secrets within “His Sabbaths” and days of rest, that would ultimately become heritage to the Jewish People, and the inheritors of the primordial Shabbat Days [going back to Joseph, who was known to have kept Shabbat as opposed to remembered Shabbat, consistent within the command of our Parsha], would become the sanctuary of the Ger[im], the modern day Noahide.

Shabbat is the observance of Creation by Hashem, and is seen in Chazal [in matters of Law] that the Sabbath Day [and Honor of] is akin to having kept the entire Torah, to those that properly rest and worship on the Seventh Day according to His Torah. One can clearly see into every realm of reality, every Torah Truth, the more he considers the Divine Truth to Shabbat. It is the very essence of the Seventh Day, and all components upon which all is revealed, and is accessible within context of a proper and appropriate rest day. As it entails all of Creation by the Finger of God [hence the Tablets also under the Finger of God, such that the Shabbat there represents a macro – micro relationship to the Torah and relationship with God], one will find animated life of color invested in reality, as long as within the company of the key components of the Torah’s saga, namely the Ger and the Jew, and their respective entourage that takes refuge in the remaining six days of the week. 

The Torah says “My Sabbaths” you shall guard, a throwback to the days of Joseph, and his preference of keeping Guard of Shabbat, as opposed to a misled belief that perhaps simply remembering may be more a representation of the essence of the Day, an intent and focus upon not one people, but two – the Jew and the Ger, who ultimately share common ground. While the Jew is the subject of direct command of God pertaining to the Guarding and Remembering of the Shabbat [which effectively evokes a full seven day service lifestyle and culture upon Israel], the Torah introduces a revelation that underneath the shroud of reality is the Universe of a true Ger Toshav, hence a status [even if not completely] of Eretz Yisrael, and thus a demand of nothing less than a day of rest outside of the Holy Land; all the more so when enjoying full liberty as a Ger serving Hashem from up close amongst Israel.

Under the microscope of Joseph and his observance of Shabbat within the borders of Egypt amongst the Tribes of Israel [which was before Sinai], the Midrash points out that the distinction being made by Joseph was one of an eternal Teaching and influence that would apply to every Ger in the future - that of the nature to this day of rest. Joseph explicitly guarded Shabbat, as the verse points out that Joseph prepared for Shabbat, which Chazal identify as a proper intent and guard; however Joseph very carefully desecrated the Shabbat so as to not disrupt what would be a revelation of revelations towards the ultimate and authentic Sinai, a historic event that would solely own rights of certain Torah expression. 

Joseph with his Divine Inspiration sent off the brothers while the sun shone upon the Sabbath morning, a clear Torah violation of Shabbat, yet would serve not only as a point of merit to Joseph, but would be a benchmark for the eternal Ger. The Midrash explains that the Wisdom taken from this guarding, is a concern of the Ger becoming too cautious of the commands applicable to Shabbat. The Torah is about to outline an incredible use of language that accentuates the subtle nature within the spiritual DNA of the Ger, and even onto what makes up a Jew from the inside.

Despite all of the hidden symbolism within Chapter 31 that clearly hints at a Shabbat for Two in the words of the Sages and Kabbalah, the Torah reveals the innards of spirituality, ironically within a context that leaves many scratching their heads, questioning the Torah’s motives and authenticity, and ultimately leaves the uneducated with an innate desire to innovate words from his own thinking that are foreign to the Torah – all to rationalize that which contradict the Torah’s strikingly harsh tone. Most are aware of the warning labels that come with Shabbat: Keep it the wrong way – and die, yet where people stumble in near total conformity is in their inability to ascertain that which is in command form, and that which is simply understood as, “Good Counsel.” [Eitzah Tovah, the Wisdom that emanates from Binah; Daughters of Tzlafchad in assoc. of their love of Israel as heirs to Joseph]

The Torah threatens death to he who fails to comply with the Will of God as to how the Sabbath should be kept, and in this way it conjures up the same undertones that once pounded the Garden of Eden, on what was the world’s most disastrous Shabbat – the essence of time that we still seek to rectify to this day and hour. Granted “death” generally is a one-way street in context and connotation when delivered as a command, yet when the Torah is perceived as Good Counsel from “God – He who acts as our Father in Heaven”, perhaps the intent is to embed a dose of reality into our existence, with a self-knowledge that functions to the opposite of death, i.e. Life; a viable Tree of Life in contrast to this proverbial Tree of Knowledge conundrum.

The evil inclination is the ailment and the Torah is the remedy; God threatens death vs. “good ‘ole advice.” When one hears, “if you keep Shabbat as such and such – you will die” – the feeling of something not being right finds its way into our logic center, our Torah point of view that turns to doubt, a power of Amalek. The Torah’s dynamic message however, was sounded over deaf ears, for God’s word was to educate the student as to what actually does kill you! 

The Jew and the Ger both life a life of unique intensity, one that needs catered to, cared for, and an expansive and flexible knowledge base as how to cope with our solitary reality called life. To make the point in the simplest terms [and to recall Joseph’s precaution against over caution]: Life is dangerous, intense, and requires responsibility; for this Torah speaks counsel in the words of command, so as to care for our delicate souls that already desire a return to their Creator, one that we need not hasten due to an inability to immediately understand the thoughts of God. The Jew and the Ger can’t “intermarry” if you will, the same way as a sister and a brother must not perform this evil deed. One can review the Torah of Abraham who claimed Sarah was his sister in marriage, who in truth was not; the Torah’s wisdom teaches that the reason they could not technically be in such relation was due to the inability to contain such an intensity that would be born of this inter-union that goes against the Torah.

 If we view the Ger as the Brother and the Jew as his Sister, one will soon realize, the intensity, although matched [as they are certainly related] are only survived if unique and painfully separated. As this may sound as a song of sorrow, there is no joy greater than the unity found from a repair of schism that was best served from schism.

A Jewish lifestyle is simply intense, and thus his Shabbat is EXACTLY what he needs to survive this onslaught of life’s intensity. Such a dynamic, when mastered in truth, and realized as an impossibility, even death, if perpetrated as a worship as per a Ger, will result in the Jew finding a union with his Creator and a path alongside his mate in the Torah Universe, the Ger. The intensity becomes a healthy channel that burns as a fire for God and a passion to illuminate the World.

The Ger is therefore equally as intense, the perfect complement to his Jewish counterpart, and thus he needs a proper channel in that he should find his service pleasing before Hashem. The Ger is told, “If you keep Shabbat as a Jew – you die.” This is often seen as a contradiction based on the obvious, and in conjunction to the fact that of course the Ger has Shabbat, as listed in seemingly endless sources within Torah. 

Thus the message is delivered from the mouth of Joseph, “do not become overly cautious of the commands of the Shabbat.” The Ger survives and succeeds in Hashem’s Creation with a certain status quo of intensity and fire, ironically, to a height that many dismiss from oversight of the obvious; see from the unnecessary conversions to Judaism [although not entirely] as proof to the dilemma imposed upon the Ger and his World.

The Ger’s soul and heart burn to please God and live in His Torah [reality], and not surprisingly, they produce an intense love directed towards God. The study of Torah [which is the primary tool of observance on the Shabbat of the Ger] would then prove to be the truly Holy of Holies in the perspective of a Ger’s internal core. A love affair that operates on high impact energy must come with instruction and care to protect the Ger, hence, the Torah and her counsel creates the heart to heart with the Ger. As this seems to be the solution, the only drawback is the intensity itself contained within both Hashem and the Ger; one cries out to aide, while the other moans in despair from displaced intensity.

The Ger Shabbat is his return to a one –on – one with Hashem and His Torah, and the loathed warning simply comes to the ear of the Ger, as to say, “don’t keep the Shabbat as a Jew, for you will be found to die.” The Torah comes to liberate the Ger, and allows him to always focus on the big picture with the finest pixels of a most pertinent reality, i.e. the rest day. The Ger is in love with God and Torah much like an inflammation of heart and soul; thus the diet becomes crucial if one is to walk a long existence with his Creator. Had the Ger focus on the Shabbat itself, the love would grow, but not to the exclusion of her intensity, and ultimately one would find territory of either burnout, exhaustion, or even death – exactly as the Torah counsel [as opposed to command tone] had decreed.

The Torah was given to the Jewish People, who through their own “Ger” experience stood converted at Sinai, as a will of God as put in effect from Abraham and Shem. The revelation and Book of Israel contained on that day 620 commandments, with 613 to Israel and 7 to the Ger. An infrastructure would be delivered to each camp, and thus a destiny of intensity was born on that mountain. The Shabbat would be the only mechanism that could express Creation, Sinai, the two Nations, and unity amongst them all as an honor to God. The mission was of sublime importance, and thus the integrity of this Brother – Sister affair proved to be integral. While each received a vessel that was unique in its service, an interaction, friendship, and Shabbat relationship would be the superior means to achieve the Torah’s vision of “Tikkun.”

In a World where we often lose sight of basic principles of Truth contained in a child-like wisdom, the perception of God returns to prehistoric dearth, rather than the ancient beauty it has earned the right to express and claim to be. The Torah is the universal message to Mankind, Jew and Ger alike, as they strive to perfect the World, and spread God’s intensity as a Knowledge of God. By the grace of God, both have each other, neither are alone, and God is honored [says the prophet concerning Shabbat], for Shabbat, the eternal witness to the fire of two peoples that exist within Seven reoccurring Days, will forever be the sanctuary to Knowledge of God, and a restful spirit and breath [to God, the Jew , and the Ger], as the Torah says, “He relaxed, and He rested”; the curious of the Torah shall note that the end letters of this stamp of God spells, “two.” Indeed, and a word to the wise should suffice in this matter. 

Shabbat Shalom. 

Click Here For Virtual Classroom!

Classes This Week:

Motzie Shabbos [Sat. Night] 10 PM - Parsha Shavua In - Depth [Ki Sisa]

Wed. Night 11 PM - "Torah of the Ger" ["Modern Noahide"] In Text [on-going series]

*All Times According to Israel Time

**Please note, virtual software runs on Google Chrome

   Arriving Early Is Recommended

Shabbat Shalom From Yeshivat Shem V' Ever!

  

Read more »